India’s batting woes continued in the third Test against New Zealand, with a series of questionable decisions and underperforming stars leaving pundits perplexed.
On Day 1, Virat Kohli’s reckless run-out set the tone for a topsy-turvy innings. The decision to send Sarfaraz Khan, who has been in scintillating form, down to No. 8 in the batting order sparked outrage among fans and former cricketers.
Sanjay Manjrekar, a former India cricketer, questioned the team management’s logic, stating that Sarfaraz’s demotion made no sense given his recent performances. “A guy in form, has 3 fifties in his first 3 Tests, gets 150 in the Bangalore Test, a good player of spin, pushed back in the order to keep left & right combination?? Makes no sense,” Manjrekar tweeted.
Sarfaraz’s brief stay at the crease ended in a 4-ball duck, adding to the frustration of fans who had witnessed his remarkable run at the Wankhede Stadium. In his last six innings at the venue, Sarfaraz has amassed 601 runs at an astonishing average of 150.25.
The decision to send Mohammed Siraj (nightwatchman) and Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Sarfaraz raised eyebrows, especially considering their poor batting performances. Siraj and Jadeja were dismissed for 0 and 14 respectively.
The Indian team’s batting woes have been a recurring theme throughout the series. Despite Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant’s heroics on Saturday, the team’s overall performance has been inconsistent and error-prone.
The team management’s decisions have come under scrutiny, with many questioning the logic behind Sarfaraz’s demotion and the batting order in general. As the series progresses, India will need to find a way to address their batting issues and regain their dominance on home soil.
